Americans consume a lot of products. Every day, Americans consume food in boxes and cans, frozen foods and fresh foods; they use toys, tools, and trinkets bought in stores; they wear store-bought clothes, perhaps even multiple outfits. Americans hardly make anything for themselves anymore. They purchase everything.

Which is why it is so crucial that Americans start taking their products seriously. Americans expect a lot out of their products, but those products are often not held accountable.

It is an odd phenomenon how rarely Americans actually do complain on a large scale. While the country is famous for lawsuits, and Americans do enjoy complaining about small issues (hardly a hair has ever been found in food in America without the whole dish being sent back with a demand for a new plate and a discount), there are actually very few lawsuits or even serious complaints against large companies.

This may be due to the internet. While in the past, the only way to vent was either to complain to others or to write or call the company, nowadays, there are a million sites upon which Americans can complain anonymously and feel better.

Still, more should be done. Be sure to use these product liability guidelines to know when more than a little online complaining is in order. Should any of these occur, be sure to contact a lawyer or a journalist to look into the issue further.

Sharp, unexpected components found in a product: These can be anything from parts of a product that are unnecessarily sharp to pieces that don’t belong to the product with sharp edges.

No age restrictions on dangerous toys: Any toy that represents a hazard to young children should be marked appropriately. Check every toy box.

Poorly wired circuits: If a device is making a buzzing, electric noise, this could be the issue.

Flammable chemicals or parts: A noxious smell or smoke could be a sign. If there’s any chance unexpected chemicals are involved, put the object back in its original container and take it back to the store.

Inadequate warning labels: If there are any dangers, even unlikely ones, that might come from the product, they should be clearly labeled.

The inclusion of dangerous compounds: no product should be made where various compounds could combine in a way that is dangerous. Should this occur, consider safety first, but then take matters further.

It is crucial more people speak up when these issues occur. While some product malfunctions can be stressful and a desire to just forget it is understandable, always consider that if one product malfunctions, others are likely to do so as well. By bringing malfunctions up to the proper authorities (store managers, production companies, journalists, and lawyers), more can be done to ensure all the products Americans consume are safe for everyone.

Close your eyes and imagine arriving at the scene of a car accident. You can see someone walking toward you, but they look like they are in a daze and their speech is incoherent. This state is what doctors call shock. Shock occurs when a person is not present, or they are unable to use their cognitive minds. According to The Kitsap Sun, researchers in the psychology field are discovering that shock is not experienced only by accident victims and individuals who face physical trauma. In fact, shock can have a profound impact on people with other forms of distress. Zimberhoff and Hartman say “shock is a physiological response to any distress that seems intolerable and in which a person feels intensely helpless.”

When a shaken accident victim attempts to resurface, it is shock. Attempting to collect oneself is not a visible experience. For example, veterans often feel the effects of trauma when they relive war scenarios. This type of relived shock is called PTSD. According to researchers, the greatest predictor when determining the severity of a soldier’s PTSD is whether they experienced trauma early in life. When trauma is experienced at a younger age, PTSD symptoms occur with greater intensity. When children experience trauma, they handle it with maturity that is dependent on age. CPTSD, or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, occurs when non-physical trauma triggers PTSD symptoms. Early childhood trauma can occur when there is an insufficient response by relatives or other people on whom the child depends. This type of trauma commonly results in CPTSD.

These are serious issues that affect thousands of people across the country. Hypnotherapyis one way to allow an individual with PTSD or CPTSD to access their subconscious and discover the traumatic memory causing their current problems. This level of intervention is not attainable during more traditional cognitive or behavior-based therapies. When the patient triggers the memory, a hypnotist guides them through a “rewiring of the memory.” Rewiring is said to remove the negative emotions caused by the memory. Unprocessed memories can become inaccessible to the conscious mind and affect someone only when there is a trigger. When the memory is activated, the brain is overcome by an emotional and chemical response that can feel negative.

Hypnotherapy is one promising way to help trauma survivors. If successful, the method would be better than medication, which does not address the reasons for PTSD or CPTSD. Hypnotherapy is an option that can reach to the underlying cause of problems and foster a lifestyle change that can allow the patient a good life free of the past. People who are curious about hypnotherapy should explore their options.

A field of broad scope, personal injury law covers a variety of cases in which one party is responsible for harming the other. As one might imagine, financial compensation rests upon the plaintiff’s ability to prove that the liable party is blameworthy. While straightforward in concept, however, this step can sometimes become extremely difficult to execute.

Determining fault

More often than not, the concept of negligence is used to prove fault in personal injury cases. As the Columbia personal injury attorneys of the Goings Law Firm, LLC explain, negligence is formally defined as conduct that: 1) falls below the standard of care expected of a reasonable person and 2) causes harm to another person. The following legal elements are often used to establish negligence:

Duty: the plaintiff must be owed a legal duty by the defendant in every personal injury claim. For example, all automobile drivers owe a duty to look out for other drivers on the road.

Breach: the plaintiff must prove that the defendant breached a legal duty.

Causation: the defendant must be the direct cause of the plaintiff’s harm or injuries. Pre-existing injuries cannot be attributed to new events unless they were worsened/exacerbated by recent occurrences.

Damages: the plaintiff must incur actual damages (monetary or physical) as a result of the incident. This usually entails expenses such as medical bills, lost income, property damage, etc.

Of course, fault isn’t always established by proving negligence. On occasion, lawyers will attempt to prove fault by establishing intentional conduct, proving “negligence per se,” or showing that the claim is subject to the “strict liability” standard of proof. In the last case, plaintiffs need only demonstrate that they suffered an injury that was “foreseeable” in a qualifying circumstance. Given the technical nature of proving fault, injured parties are advised to seek the help of an experienced lawyer when filing their claim.

We need all body parts to work properly so we can fully function as human beings. If even just one body part is compromised, we can be disabled. This is particularly true for body parts that play a big role in multiple bodily functions, such as the heart and brain.

It is good to know that, according to the website of Mazin & Associates, PC, those who have sustained a disability may be entitled to recover disability insurance benefits. But how can a person sustain a disability exactly? Usually, a person becomes disabled because of an accident or birth inheritance.

Accident

Getting involved in an accident is never good news. It becomes even more tragic if the accident has resulted into an injury severe enough to disable the victim. The most common accidents connected with injuries and disabilities are those that involve traumatic force, such as car accidents, sports and recreation accidents, premises liability accidents, and workplace accidents, particularly those from inherently dangerous workplaces, such as construction sites and manufacturing plants.

Some people are just not as lucky in the genetic lottery or have developed complications during pregnancy or delivery. These things can result into disabilities. Most birth disabilities arise from problems in body function such as metabolism, body structure, organ or system functionality, particularly those that involve the heart, lungs, and stomach, and even mental health condition.

Eligibility

There is really no clear way to ensure that a person will get his or her case approved and receive benefits. But there are some obvious guidelines, such as eligibility.

To be eligible for disability insurance benefits, the first requirement is that the person in question is actually medically disabled. It’s called a disability insurance for a reason, and it shouldn’t be abused by those who are not truly disabled.

The financial challenge, such as the rehabilitation costs and limited employment opportunities, also makes the case much more viable, especially if this is juxtaposed to a relatively poor economic standing.

Whether the person is confident that he or she will get approved, he or she should at least try to make a case. After all, he or she doesn’t deserve to handle the disability and its associated hardships alone.

How to Legally Change Your Name

There are many reasons why you may want to change your name. According to Holmes, Diggs & Sadler, the most common motivations behind legal name changes are marriage, divorce, adoption, and custody change. Perhaps you simply want a new name! Here’s how to successfully navigate the legal name changing process:

The first and most important step of a legal name change is choosing what you would like your new name to be. If you’re getting married or divorced, this choice is probably very simple. However, if you choosing a brand new name there are a few rules you must follow. Your new name cannot be generally offensive, violent, or racially charged. You are also not permitted to choose the name of a celebrity, like Brad Pitt or Taylor Swift.

Find all necessary materials and documents. This will differ slightly depending on what state you live in, but in general you will need a petition for Change of Name, your social security card, your birth certificate, a valid photo ID, and an order to show the reason behind your Change of Name.

Once you have gathered all your forms and materials you must file them with the correct court. You will be asked to sign and date all forms at your local court, as well as pay a fee of $100-$200.

The next step is a court hearing. During the hearing, the judge will review your documents and petition and will decide whether or not to grant you a legal change of name. Most name change hearings are quite short and simple.

Lastly, begin the transition into your new name. This includes informing all governmental, financial, and business institutions of your new name. Some necessary institutions to notify include your school, bank, post office and place of work.